Kevin, M.D. – Medical Weblog: Flea
Flea
Stunning news. The Boston Globe on Flea, his trial and how his blogging ultimately led from a possible victory to settlement:
As Ivy League-educated pediatrician Robert P. Lindeman sat on the stand in Suffolk Superior Court this month, defending himself in a malpractice suit involving the death of a 12-year-old patient, the opposing counsel startled him with a question.
Was Lindeman Flea?
Flea was undone in court by his blogging. Incredible.
Not too incredible – you don’t go revealing your trial strategy and running down the other side and the jury DURING and BEFORE your trial.
If the Spurs gave Utah the game plan ahead of time and told the referee he molested collies, a Utah win wouldn’t be too incredible at all.
I dunno. Blogging about your trial while it’s going on DOES sound like a bad choice on one hand; on the other, blogging is blogging.
Why did Flea have to admit who he was?
Why did Flea have to admit who he was?
Lying under oath probably wouldn’t have helped his case too much. It might not have done much for his freedom either.
–ET
It never ceases to amaze how dumb such well educated people can be. There is nothing more idiotic than publicly discussing your upcoming trial and contradicting yourself in writing relative to your planned testimony.
ET: Flea had to admit his blogging identity because he would have been caught had he lied, and lying under oath is a crime dumbass. Can you really be that stupid and immoral?
By the way, did it ever strike any of you rocket scientists that “Flea” always referred to himself in the third person? What greater indication of an ego out of control? I know it is commonplace in our profession, but out of control egos alawys meet their deserved fate. This jackass certainly did. Scary that he treats children. I would sleep easier at night if he was a podiatrist.
Hey Mc Hammer….why the animosity, there? Don’t see any need for name calling….
GruntDoc – Like what you’ve done with the place!!
Take care,
Carrie :)
Hammer! What have I always taught you?
Love. Love.
I considered Flea’s use of third person as humor. He reminded me of my old pediatrician who was (and still is) a fantastic doctor.
I hope he comes back soon. I enjoyed his blog. As a blogger, I feel a little wounded by this so I can’t imagine how he feels.
Come back soon Flea!
Flea is an arrogant ass. He continously blogged about my husband and myself in a case. I have never met the bastard, but dam I am going to hunt him down and sue him for slander. He never worked with my husband as he stated he did and he has no right to call me mentally ill as he did in his past blog of DOC DOCKED IN BROCKTON. I hope he gets all he has coming to him and if I have to protest outside of his effin practice I shall do so. He owes me an apology and if he is reading this, he will know exactly what I am refering to. It takes a cruel man to pass judgement on a person he has never met and has only had 2 converstions with Joe, interesting enough, one was how to manage a child with diabetes!!!!!! gee is this the child that died??? I have in my posession all the blogs and I shall consult MY attorney to start proceedings on slander….got u back “effin flea bag”
sounds like flea will need a restraining order…
There are surely many docs out there who, like Flea, have learned a hard lesson, though perhaps not so publicly.
If you can be absolutely certain of your anonymity, I suppose blogging is just blogging. Otherwise…case in point.
In the risk management seminars I have gone to since I can’t resist the opportunity to get a percentage off my malpractice premiums, the number one rule about your conduct when you’re being sued is that you don’t discuss the case with anybody.
Maybe Flea will have the consolation of being an example in newer risk management courses — I wonder if he will get an honorarium?